thoughts on recent listens...
What a strange mess of a record. Nevermind that artwork. Nevermind that Epic botched the tracklisting. Nevermind the fact that much of the album's more interesting tracks ("The Sun") were cut due to sample-clearance issues. The real problem here is that Bulletproof Wallets is a good album. Unfortunately it was following two great albums, so by comparison this came off as completely underwhelming. But in fairness, there's actually a lot to like about it. The storytelling on "Maxine" is about as intense as Ghost gets and then a few tracks later he's delivering one of the more fragile lyrics of his career with "Never Be The Same Again." While some of the interludes certainly feel out of place, ultimately this is a decent album that only deserves some of the scorn it receives.
Even though ODB would title his first solo album Return to the 36 Chambers, there's no denying that Liquid Swords is one "first wave" Wu-Tang solo release that sounds the most like a proper group follow-up to the classic Enter the Wu-Tang. While Ghostface's Ironman would geek out on the comic book mythos and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx would settle into a mafioso theme, Liquid Swords sticks with the same kung-fu dialogue and gritty production that defined the personality of the Wu's debut. And yet it doesn't sound like a "me too" record either. This is clearly GZA's vision, even if he's got the whole Clan on board to support him. "4th Chamber" might just be one of the most defining singles from those early rounds of solo releases - though ironically it's far from a solo affair with Ghostface Killah, Killah Priest and RZA featured just as much as GZA himself. And in a sense it might just be those shrieking, bending synths by RZA that truly steal the spotlight on the track. Of course it should be noted that GZA was a bit of a veteran by this point in time - having seen the release of an earlier solo album on Cold Chillin' records that failed to meet anyone's expectations. Having bounced back from that deal, and then worked to build Wu-Tang's debut into the success that it was, it's easy to hear the surefootedness in Liquid Swords. It's a thrilling victory lap.
Beg For Mercy is such a specific moment in time. Released the same day as Jay-Z's so-called retirement album, it was the sound of a possible changing of the guards. It's 50 Cent doing a victory lap after the success of Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. But most of all it's a surprisingly successful group effort by a group that often seemed on the brink of self-destruction. In fairness, they had plenty of practice with a long string of mixtapes leading up to their major label debut. But Tony Yayo is mostly absent here due to a stint in jail, and The Game had just joined the G-Unit ranks so doesn't even make an appearance. Although 50 appears on every track, he really let's Young Buck and Lloyd Banks carry the record's weight. And they do it well. In fact, in many ways Buck feels like a breakout star on this one. Even with such varied production credits (Dre and Eminem produce two songs each), there's a very unified feel to everything - even if much of it apes Dre and Em. Ultimately it feels like the stars aligned. Had "My Buddy" been released at any other moment in time, it perhaps wouldn't even sound right. It's unclear if the Dipset-ish balance of gangsta and pop could be perfected by G-Unit again considering the departures of Game and Buck, the varying success of Banks and Yayo and the frustrating twists and turns that 50's later discography have made. But then again, this album proves that under the right circumstances - even if not ideal circumstances - the stars could possibly align again.
It's really a shame that Remixes II didn't receive a wide release. Even in the hip hop mixtape world it didn't seem to get a lot of attention - perhaps because Ratatat were far more known within the indie-electronic world than the underground mixtape circuit. The sad truth is that this could have really been a hit record with the right promotion - and of course a whole lot of licensing issues to sort through. The variety of mc's presented is fantastic. The album opens with Young Buck's "Stomp" and then moves on to highlight everyone from Jay-Z, Kanye and Memphis Bleek to Devin The Dude, Young Jeezy and T.I. And even though there's a whirlwind of personalities and regions being mashed, it always sounds like Ratatat. It's a warm sound, that somehow feels like introspection at a party. For the most part the remixes are played pretty straight, but there are some flips like when Biggie drops into Jay-Z's "Allure" unexpectedly. This is one of those rare remix mixtapes that continually stays on heavy rotation years later in my household. With any luck there'll be a Vol. 3. (Note: This is I think the most expensive hip hop CD in my collection currently).
